


11

by TheSecondMouse



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Female Harry Potter, Gen, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24909769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecondMouse/pseuds/TheSecondMouse
Summary: Nobody would care for Alice Potter except herself, so she hid her shaking hands, gathered all the information she could and made an art out of self-preservation.The glitter of silver can be mistaken for that of gold in the right light and the wizarding world is full of fools.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 159





	1. Chapter 1

When Alice Potter went with Hagrid she hoped that this was the start of a better life in a better world.

She didn't know what to think of her fame - if she was so important why hadn't anyone told her about wizards and witches before, why were the Dursleys burdened with her, why was she burdened with the Dursleys - but she supposed it might make people more likely to help her.

She could tell Hagrid was a bit confused about her lack of reaction when she was told that her parents were great and murdered instead of useless and killed in an accident. He probably assumed she was in shock, but what difference did it make? Her parents were dead either way and they had nothing to do with her.

Diagon Alley was surprsing, confusing and crowded. The street seemed to have come out of a fairytale. Old-fashioned and weird and full of mystery.

The key to the vault they had visited was in her possesion instead of Hagrid's now. It was hers, wasn't it, she had asked and the goblin had said yes and grinned sharply.

Then Hagrid left her alone not only in a foreign street but a foreign world to go back to the pub and drink and she told him he could go back to Hogwarts afterwards, she would find her own way. He was a bit hesistant but said if she was sure he would give her the train ticket to Hogwarts now.

There would be hell to pay for the pigtail Dudley had and her knowledge of being a witch. She didn't plan on being escorted back or actually on being available to the Dursley's ever again.

The situation was not ideal, she didn't have a guide. But she couldn't really depend on Hagrid either, she had known that even before he had ditched her as quickly as possible. Not only was he willing to hex a defenseless child (the Dursley's treatment of her should not be the standard and this was not an appropriate punishment for stealing some food), he broke laws shortly after he met her _and told her so._ She knew that laws weren't always right, but he was supposed to be a representative from Hogwarts.

What kind of school sends someone that gives children the impression that it's alright to break the rules? Even if she accepted that, why would he tell her? Would he not be punished if the wizarding police somehow found out? Either he was a trusting fool who thought she would protect him because he had known her parents or the government did not enforce the law. Either way the ones ruling were incompetent since no one noticed when a person who wasn't allowed to do any magic at all tried to turn a non-wizard into a pig.

She hoped that it wasn't generally accepted to attack children in the Wizarding World, but she couldn't be sure of anything here.

That did scare her, but she hid her shaking hands, made sure that her scar couldn't be seen and then slipped through the crowds in Diagon. This was her new life, so she had better make sure it was a good one.

Nobody would care for her except she herself.

First things first: shopping while keeping an eye out for a safe place to sleep.

Petunia, who wasn't Alice's family and didn't wish to be, had at least made sure she had one decent outfit, a bag, a notebook and a pen, so she could do the grocery shopping for them. Since she was prepared to go outside when Vernon decided to drag them to the island she luckily had all of that with her now.

Except to do chores and to sleep, Petunia hadn't wanted her to be anywhere near the house. It was expected of her to stay away -out of sight and out of mind- before coming back to the Dursley's house with the groceries they wanted and with spending as little money as possible. At the beginning she wrote down every price in every shop in their vicinity to be able to compare them and then bought the cheapest things. The Dursley's didn't care for quality much.

That's why, when she was now working for her own benefit she didn't plan on just buying her things in Diagon Alley from the first shop she came across.

Surely there weren't only ten stores or so for wizards and witches in London. Meaning this was just the most frequently visited street and not automatically the one where the products or prices were the best.

Alice finally got some money for herself and she would not spend it without thorough consideration. She did not know how much all the pretty coins she inherited were actually worth or how much she took with her, because although the goblins told her the exchange rate to pounds (which she wrote down) she did not know how the prices compared to those in the muggle world.

Also, she needed to know what she herself could do with magic. She wouldn't buy anything she didn't need or could have made better or cheaper herself.

She went into Flourish and Blotts first because she needed to know more. What better place to go than a bookstore? Well, she would have prefered a library but she hadn't seen one, so here she was.

She would probably buy her books first anyway and looking around here would give here the highest price she would pay to anyone for her school books. But hopefully there was a second-hand shop somewhere in Wizarding London. 

In Flourish and Blots the many shelves went up to the ceiling and were stuffed full of books. Alice liked the privacy it granted the customer altough she did not approve of the lack price tags. Alright, she would have to do this the difficult way then.

She took her list out and started searching for the books on it.

Alice took them to the checkout and asked the salesperson if they could tell her the price of each book because she wasn't sure she had enough money with her to pay for them all. The salesperson grudgingly did so, she wrote the prices down, said she was very sorry for the inconvinience, but it seemed as if she would have to come back later with her parents and left the store. That was awkward every time she had to do it.

At the beginning having to speak with shop assistants or with other people in general made her very uncomfortable but she got used to it. Kind of. It was easier to talk five minutes with someone than searching an hour for the right washing agent, being late and then being punished because you had one easy task, freak, and you weren't even able to do that, stupid girl.

She would never live with the Dursleys again though.

That was over now and Alice smiled to herself as she wandered a bit further down Diagon Alley and soon vanished into the darkness of a side street.


	2. Chapter 2

After a few steps, the temperature suddendly changed. In Diagon the weather had been the same as in Muggle London, a little too warm and sunny. Now it was a bit colder, in a refreshing way. A quick glance up showed that the whole sky was full of clouds.

Unsettling, but interesting.

Alice kept walking.

_Do you hear the whispers, the fairys call,_

_Maybe you will fly and maybe you will fall,_

She stayed on the right side of the small passage. There were only walls on both sides, but Alice could see that it opened towards another larger street.

_But either way they'll hear you and see your core,_

_They'll take you and keep you forevermore.  
_

Then the shadows ended and she emerged from them. Alice tried to stay inconspicuous, although there were less people here.

According to the street sign hovering about thirteen feet above the ground, she was now standing on Horizontal Avenue. It was much more quiet here although the atmosphere was not necessarily relaxed. Everything just seemed clear. Focused. This was a productive calm.

Everybody seemed to know exactly where to go. They didn't linger, which is why Alice thought it would be best not to do so either.

She still tried to absorb as much information as she could while walking briskly, though.

The stores were named in a practical fashion. She could see feathers and scales through the windows of an apothecary called "Animal Parts by Selwyn" and some plants in "Plants for Potions by Brown". The stores were more specialised than in Diagon.

Alice imagined this would be the perfect place to shop if you wanted to buy tools or ingredients to work with professionally.

Most of it was most likely expensive, but worth its weight in gold. Probably literally here considering the currency.

Apparently Horizontal Avenue was where quality material was sold.

She would make do with average material in her first year she supposed, before buying better workmanship for the things that mattered.

She wanted to be able to defend herself and have a home where she would be protected and comfortable as soon as possible though.

And both things should be quality.

She knew what could happen to those who were vulnerable.

But she would research first what would offer her the best protection, if she had the time and resources. It was about twelve o'clock she estimated.

She hadn't eaten today or yesterday since she hadn't trusted the half-giant enough to take the food he offered her, but finding a meal could wait for another hour.

The light blue building she had spotted might be a library.

It was, to Alice's delight.

She slipped in through the open door. The interior was similarly structured as that of a non-magical library would be. The books were organised into categories, thankfully, and hidden between the shelves were desks. Alice noticed, when she sat down on a chair in front of one of these, that the book already lying on the table was blank. There was a quill and an ink pot too.

She raised her eyebrows. She had wanted to fill in her newest findings into her notebook before searching for more useful information, but was she expected to write something into this book?

She turned it over. It was titled "Search and Get Book for the Blue Library". On the first page she found instructions. "Write down a topic to see a list of the books available dealing with the chosen subject. Tap on the name of the book to summon it to your desk. If you want to see the summaries, add "+s" to your request. Write down an author or a title if you have a specific book in mind. To make the list show the titles in a different order than listing the most popular books first, write down "sort according to [your criteria], starting with" the oldest publishing date or probably the most useful for an apprentice, for example. Write down "delete" to clear your book from your search."

Well, that made things easier.

She wrote down "Introduction to the Wizarding World +s sort according to usefulness for someone who has just visited Diagon Alley for the first time, starting with most useful" on the second page and hoped that this worked.

Writing appeared beneath hers after a second.

She tipped on the first title and a book appeared in the space marked through a metal frame on the table.

Practical.

She immersed herself in reading.


	3. Chapter 3

She made a list.

**Things** **to buy**

Quality needed:

protection bracelet

daggers with sheaths (goblin if possible)

Small trunk appartment

Focus (do not go to Ollivander)

Only normal needed:

Food (in Elven Street, at Hogwarts food will be provided)

Potions supplies

Dragonhide gloves

Clothes (second-hand if possible, see household charms, use transfigured clothes?)

School books (second-hand should be possible)

**Things that have to be learned**

Household charms and spells

Basic dueling

School books (teacher expect children to have read them at least once before the start of class)

Basic healing

Glamours and notice-me-not

Control over magic

Basic manners (upper class seems to be stuck two or three centuries before now)

Basic politics

Basic occlumency (apparently makes memory better)

Making potions

Space expansion charms?

Creatures

**People** **to** **be** **hired**

trustworthy lawyer (disguise yourself at first? Wild theories printed as fact, probably illegal, research first)

Healer (if they can be bound to keep their silence)

**Notes**

Suitcase should have: very good security spells, preservation spells to store food and potion ingredients, a room for brewing, strong notice-me-not, spells to only enable owner to pick it up, featherlight charms, shrinking and anti-muggle charms

Apparently daggers, swords, etc. can be bought without problem. Information is ca. 50 years old, though. Might have changed. Some are poisened.

Get protection bracelet **first.** Then suitcase. Then food.

There are different foci. Ollivander only provides generalized wands. Cheaper, but can be taken away and have a trace. Do not have to be changed when person changes, will still fit more or less. Magic will not be used as efficiently. Other foci have to be "fed", when person changes. Blood bond alerts person to what has to be added when.

DO NOT GIVE YOUR BLOOD TO ANYONE

Therefore do not give your wand to anyone.

Bracelet has to block physical attacks, potions, hexes, curses and poisons. Has to allow specific ones. Should not be able to be removed by anyone but owner. Should also destroy any blood, hair, etc. when it has left body. Works for the past? If not burn cupboard at Privet Drive. *

Goblins are neutral. They don't give what they are not asked for. Ask for an account of inherited money, properties and shares.

OWNER OF KEY = MAGICAL GUARDIAN

If the person fulfills criteria and is not accused of theft a month after receiving key. If so court will decide.

Research magical guardian. Duties, process of choosing,...

Child can only hold key for two weeks if progress of emancipation is not started. Research emancipation.

*Potions can explode => Harming level of light, radiation or heat should also be blocked by bracelet. Multiple protection accessories?

Additional books are not necessary, library only asks for a fee once. And wants a contract signed.

It's illegal to hide things through magic or muggle means on contracts.

MAGICAL CONTRACTS OR VOWS CAN'T BE BROKEN

The contract was very simple. It forbid her from telling anyone about the library or showing it to anyone without having them sign the same agreement first. She wouldn't be able to take any action against the library, legal or otherwise for their possession of any information. She would only have to pay sixteen galleons to be a member until she died unless she damaged a book. Then she'd have to remunerate the library for it. Otherwise, while she could donate money and while any contributions of books were appreciated, neither was compulsory.

She wouldn't have to go to the library to receive the volumes she needed to have.

Alice signed and laid down the required galleons on top of it.

It vanished, leaving behind a copy of the contract, a bag and a Search and Get book similar to the one she had been using. This one had her name engraved upon it. A small note floated down on top of it proclaiming "You are now a member of the Blue Library. The books you summon will appear in your bag. After a day they will disappear. If you wish to contribute to the library, please leave money or items at this building. If you think of anything that could improve the library leave a note. Any assistance in continuing this project is appreciated."

Now that this was finished, she needed to start on her tasks.

She picked up her things which now included the bag and the book, was careful not to leave anything behind and exited the library.

It was already afternoon and though the books she read hadn't exactly reassured her, she at least had a better idea what to expect.

And she would prepare for it.


End file.
